Your hand might seem pretty simple, anatomy-wise, but there can be a lot of issues with this part of your body too. There are a lot of joints, tendons, and a network of nerves, veins, and bones in your hand and if you see a lump, you should visit a GP or an orthopedic surgeon. So, here is everything you need to know about ganglion cyst in the hand.

Ganglion Cyst – What Is It?

When you examine your hand, you normally don’t see any lumps, bumps, or anything like that.

However, when you have a ganglion cyst, you will see a ball-like growth on your wrist. It will be on the top when you face your palm down towards the floor.

This cyst will be squishy and it will be easy to put pressure on. Now, this can be really scary to look at, and your first thought might go to the fact that it can be a tumor. Well, that is the thing about ganglion cysts. They are not cancerous or malignant. They are mostly filled with a soft, jelly-like substance, and these cysts are really squishy.

They are mostly found on the hand and on the wrist, but they can also occur on the foot, near the ankles too. They will usually be present where there are joints. And they’re not dangerous, so if you were stressing out about that, then don’t.

The size of ganglion cysts can vary. They can be small, about pea-sized, or they can get bigger too. It really depends on person to person. You’ll just look at the cyst and it will look like someone shoved a pea or a walnut under your skin.

When you go ahead and put pressure on the cyst, this can lead to a bit of pain because you are literally pushing the nerve around the cyst too and that is going to be anything but pleasant. Also, it doesn’t have any color or redness around it. So, even though the sac is still there, it won’t be alarming to see it, of course, minus the weird protrusion of the fluid-filled sac.

Causes Of Ganglion Cyst On Hands

Serious Joint Or Muscle Damage

Although there is no specific cause of a ganglion cyst, it usually occurs near the joints or tendons. So, it is theorized that these cysts occur when you have a serious sort of joint or muscle damage. Either you have fallen down really bad and the wrist took the blow, or something like that.

Repetitive Movements Involving Hands And Wrist

Ganglion cysts can occur due to a variety of reasons, or they could be as random as it gets. Some people use their wrists a lot and this can be a major cause of the cysts forming on their wrists. If your work involves a lot of handwork and you engage your wrist a lot, then the movement can cause the fluid to be filled in a specific place and then turn into a ball-like shape near the wrist joint.

Women Are More Prone To It

Usually, women can be more prone to developing ganglion cysts than men and even though there is no set age bracket in which these cysts can be extremely common, usually, they can occur when people are in their 20s to 50s.

Bone Or Autoimmune Disorders

Also, several disorders of the bone as well as autoimmune disorders, can lead to ganglion cysts in the future. You could be suffering from arthritis in your hands, tendinitis, and even overuse, and that will cause ganglion cysts to form out of the blue.

In short, there are many reasons why ganglion cysts can occur and there can be none, so there’s no certain way to know how and when they could happen.

Symptoms Of Ganglion Cyst On Hands

So, now that you know what a ganglion cyst is, here are some of the very common symptoms to see a hand and wrist doctor. Bear in mind that ganglion cyst can form on other parts of the body as well like ankles and feet and for treatment, you will need to get in touch with a podiatrist Woodbridge.

A Round, Ball-Like Growth On The Hand

Firstly, and this is the most obvious one, you’ll see a ball-like growth underneath your skin on the hand. It can be on the wrist, the side of your wrist joint, or even on the palm of your hand.

Commonly, No Irritation Or Redness

There will be no redness or irritation on the skin where the sac is. If there is, then that is not a good sign and it is probably not a ganglion cyst. A ganglion cyst is pretty dormant and it doesn’t do anything, besides bothering you with the ball-like growth on your hand.

Pain When Pushing The Cyst

When you push on the cyst, it will be really easy to budge. That is because it is not a ball of muscle. It is basically a fluid-filled sac that contains a jelly-like substance inside it. It is really easy to push down.

When you go ahead and put pressure on the cyst, you will feel a bit of pain. It will be dull but it will be there. That is because you’re pushing down on the nerves surrounding the cyst and that is why you’re feeling this very painful sensation when you go ahead and push hard on the cyst. That is why it is recommended that you don’t move the cyst around too much, as it can be quite uncomfortable.

Translucent Bump

Even though the bump is usually under the skin, there can be times when at certain angles and under bright lights, you are able to see through the lump. It can be translucent at times.

Various Shapes And Sizes

The shape of the ganglion cyst can either be a perfect circle or it can be oval in shape too. Also, the size of the cyst can vary, depending on how old it is and how you actually got the cyst.

Treatment For Ganglion Cyst On Hands

Now comes the most important bit: How do you get rid of this cyst? Sure, it doesn’t bother you and it’s not exactly a harmful disorder that can put your life in danger, but it is still a nuisance nonetheless.

So, here are some ways by which you can get rid of the cyst.

Draining The Cyst (Aspiration)

If you feel like the cyst is bothering you a lot and you need to get rid of it for cosmetic reasons, then you can get it surgically removed or drained. Draining a ganglion cyst is done by a process known as aspiration and you can get the fluid out and have it tested if you want peace of mind and want to ensure that it isn’t something malignant, which it won’t be.

Surgery For Lump Removal

If aspiration doesn’t work, then your doctor may recommend a small surgery to remove the lump, if the pain is too much or you just can’t handle the discomfort.

Medication

Pain or anti-inflammatory medication can also be prescribed to you when you want to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation in the lump. This will help to reduce the pain and it will also reduce the size of the lump if it is small.

Splints Or Braces

You can also wear splints or braces to prevent movement of the cyst and swelling.

Conclusion

A ganglion cyst can really stand out on your hand or wrist and even though it is not harmful most of the time, it is still weird to have this little lump protruding from your hand or wrist. So, seeing a hand injury specialist Woodbridge is important.